American will fly the Boeing 737 Max on 9 routes across the US come January after it returns to service this month - see the full list
- American Airlines is eager to regrow its Boeing 737 Max route network in 2021 with more cities seeing the aircraft as early as January.
- From its base in Miami, the Max will first fly to cities up and down the East Coast and US territories in the Caribbean.
- The first scheduled flight is slated for December 29, 2020, from Miami to New York.
2021 is proving to be the year of the Max.
American Airlines is regrowing its route network for the Boeing 737 Max in 2021 that will see more US travelers flying on the jet that's fresh from a 20-month grounding from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Arguably the airline most eager to get the Max back in the air, American has the earliest start date of any US airline for the aircraft with December 29 seeing the first scheduled flights, more than a month following the FAA's return to service decision. The jet will fly first between Miami and New York before expanding up and down the East Coast and to the Caribbean from American's 737 Max base in Miami.
The country's largest airline has been flying demonstration flights with employees and media to instill confidence in the aircraft, as Business Insider's David Slotnick found on the first demonstration flight from Dallas to Tulsa, Oklahoma last week. But American's passengers who still don't want to fly on the Max can still change their flight free of charge.
Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, the other three US operators of the aircraft, have no plans to fly the jet before February, Cirium data shows. But some are still eager to get more Max jets in their fleets as Alaska secured an order to lease 13 Max 9 jets and Southwest is reportedly in talks with Boeing for up to 30 "white-tails," the name for aircraft that have been built but not delivered to a customer.
Here's where American Airlines' Boeing 737 Max jets will be flying in 2021, so far.
Between Miami and New York
The first Boeing 737 Max passenger flight will operate between Miami International Airport and New York's LaGuardia Airport on December 29, 2020. Operating as American Airlines flight 718, the first flight departs Miami at 10:32 a.m. and arrives in New York at 1:30 p.m., Cirium data shows, while the return flight departs New York at 2:30 p.m. and arrives back in Miami at 5:44 p.m.
The route will continue to see once-daily flights until January 19, 2021, according to Cirium, when it increases to twice daily. Starting January 21, 2021, however, up to four daily flights between Miami and LaGuardia will see Max service.
New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport will also receive the aircraft starting January 5, with once-daily service to Miami. Operating as American Airlines flight 1184, the first flight departs Miami at 12:21 p.m. and arrives in New York at 3:17 p.m., Cirium data shows, while the return flight departs New York at 4:18 p.m. with the same flight number and arrives back in Miami at 7:32 p.m.
JFK, however, will only see one daily flight to Miami and on the Max through February 10, 2021, with no other Max routes currently scheduled from the airport beyond Miami.
Between Miami and Washington, DC
Washington, DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 5, 2021, with flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 1348, departing Miami at 8:30 a.m. and arriving in Washington at 11:09 a.m., Cirium data shows. The return flight departs at 12:05 p.m. with the same flight number and arrives back in Miami at 2:53 p.m.
American had relied on the Max to operate cross-country flights between Washington and Los Angeles before the aircraft's grounding, replacing the older generation Boeing 737 to utilize the Max's cost savings on the 2,008-nautical mile route.
Between Miami and Boston
Boston will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 7, 2021, with flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 533, departing Miami at 9:05 a.m. and arriving in Washington at 12:25 p.m., Cirium data shows.
The return flight departs at 2:04 p.m. with the same flight number and arrives back in Miami at 5:50 p.m.
Between Miami and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 19, 2021, with twice-daily flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 943, departing Miami at 10:35 a.m. and arriving in St. Thomas. at 2:18 p.m., Cirium data shows. The return flight departs at 5:43 p.m. as flight 2815 and arrives back in Miami at 7:48 p.m.
The second daily flight operates as flight 1063, departing Miami at 7:05 p.m. and arriving in St. Thomas at 10:49 p.m., according to Cirium. The return flight operates the next morning as flight 99, departing St. Thomas at 7:43 a.m. and arriving back in Miami at 9:45 a.m.
American started flying the 737 Max between Miami and St. Thomas on February 14, 2019, less than one month before the aircraft's grounding by the FAA on March 13, 2019.
Between Miami and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 19, 2021, with flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 382, departing Miami at 10:55 a.m. and arriving in St. Croix. at 2:43 p.m., Cirium data shows. The return flight departs at 5:30 p.m. as flight 1293 and arrives back in Miami at 7:41 p.m.
American began flying the 737 Max between Miami and St. Croix on October 4, 2018.
Between Miami and Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 19, 2021, with two daily flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 173, departing Miami at 12:50 p.m. and arriving in Tampa. at 1:55 p.m., Cirium data shows. The return flight departs at 3:00 p.m. with the same flight number and arrives back in Miami at 4:09 p.m.
The second daily flight operates as flight 1921, departing Miami at 9:15 p.m. and arriving in Tampa at 10:24 p.m. It doesn't return to Miami until the next morning as flight 1977 departing Tampa at 6:23 a.m. and arriving in Miami at 7:25 a.m.
A few days later on January 21, 2021, however, as many as three daily flights will serve the busy route.
Between Miami and Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 5, 2021, with flights from Miami. The first Miami-bound flight operates as American Airlines flight 654, departing Orlando at 10:08 a.m. and arriving in Miami. at 11:20 a.m., Cirium data shows. The first Orlando-bound flight, however, operates as flight 2106 on January 5, 2021, departing Miami at 9:37 p.m. and arriving in Orlando at 10:54 p.m.
Between Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico will receive American's Boeing 737 Max starting January 7, 2021, with flights from Miami. The first flight operates as American Airlines flight 1451, departing Miami at 12:45 p.m. and arriving in Miami. at 4:20 p.m., Cirium data shows. The return flight departs with the same flight number from San Juan at 5:28 p.m. and arrives back in Miami at 7:27 p.m.
American first began flying the Max between Miami and San Juan on February 14, 2019.